Improved process for treating hair



w. ADAMSON. Treating Fiber.

. Patented July 12, 1864.

0 o o o o o o o o 0 a o o o oo o o a o o u o o ouo o n 0 o a o ow ou o o ooo o owooooc o o o o 00 o 0000 o o o o 00 o a oo o oo o n no n o a o o o 00 o o o o o o Inventor Witnesses: I 6Z, & W

zwfmaw AM. PHOTD-LITHO. C0. N.Y. (OSBDRNE'S PROCESS) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM ADAMSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIAi.

IMPROVED PROCESS FOR TREATING-HAIR;

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 43,466, dated July 12,1864.

the products of combustion of coal or other fael, substantially as described hereinafter.-

In order to enable others to practice my invention, I will now proceed to describe a manner of carrying it into effect.

In preparing the hair taken from the hides of animals for use-as stuffing for cushions, '&c.--it is necessary to subject it to a thorough cleansing process before it is fit for the market. In order to do this it is generally treated with disinfectants-or exposed to the atmosphere for a great length of time and washed and driedprocesses demanding considerable delay and tedious manipulation. The hairs or bristles of hogs are especially ofiensive, as much animal matter adheres to the roots.

It is usual in the neighborhood of towns and cities where hogs are extensively slaughtered to spread the hair on the ground, so as to expose it to the action of the atmosphere,

.which in time deprives it of much of its oftensive properties.

There are three great objections to this exposure, one being that it is offensive to those who dwell in the neighborbood; a second, that the exposure superinduces' fermentation, which deteriorates the hair by destroying its elasticity; and the third. is the length of time required to deodorize the hair by exposure. After repeated trials I have fonnd that all this may be obviated by taking the hair, washing it well in water, and then, insteadof drying it by simple heated air, exposin g it to the direct action of the products of the combustion of coal orwood, for the two fold efl'ect of drying the hair and at the same time fumigating it, and by this fumigation so changing the character of whatever offensive animal matter may adhere to the hair that the latter. is purified, and all tendency to emit unpleasant exhalations neutralized.

Another advantage of my process is that when applied to the hairs of animals it preserves their elasticity and hardness-properties which render hairs most valuable in the market, and which are, in a great measure, lost by long exposure and fermentation.

in carrying out my inventionI prefer the apparatus shown'in the accompanying draw-. in gs, as it affords facilities for practicing my process with rapidity and continuity and with comparatively little labor.

Figure 1 represents a vertical section of the apparatus,-and Fig. 2 a plan view.

A represents a tower, which may be made of iron, brick-work, or other material, and which may be round, as shown in the drawings, or square, or of any other-form which may be found'appropriat'e. The interior of the tower .is separated into several compartments by perforated plates B, each of whichis secured to a central rod, a, each end of the latter pass ing through the sides of the tower, and one end being provided with an arm, b, by operating which the plate may be made to assume a horizontal position or may be turned upside down, at pleasure. A suitable furnace is built near the tower, and the products of the combustion of the fuel of this furnace pass through the pipe E, through the lateral openin gs a; of an ordinary fan-blower, D, which forces the products of combustion through the pipe F intothe lowest compartment, G, of the tower, and through the several perforated plates in the same. The hair, &'c., while yet wet is hoisted by any suitable apparatus to the top of the tower, and a quantity deposited in alayer on the highest perforated. plate of the series, where it is subjected to the action of theproducts of combustion which pass through this plate. After a short time has elapsed this highest plate is turned upside,down by means of the arm b, and thelayer of hair is suddenly thrown onto the second plate of the series, the

first plate being turned to its original horizontal position, so as to receive a new supply of hair or other material. Thus the different layers of hair are discharged from plate to plate, on each of which it is permitted to rest a short time, and is finally deposited in the compartment G, from which it is extracted through a suitable doorway, y. In its passage. through the tower the hair is repeatedly turned and agitated, so that, every particle is exposed to the volume of the products of combustion, and

thereby thoroughly dried and deodorized.

It is not necessary that a special furnace should be constructed, as the furnace for heating any steam-boiler or 'for other purposes may be at hand for supplying the req uisiteproducts of combustion. Neither is the fan-blower D indispensable, as other equivalent apparatus may be used; or the draft in the tower may be sufficiently forcible without the necessity of resorting to artificial blasts.

I claim as-myinvention and desire to secure by Letterslatent- WM. ADAMSON.

Witnesses:

HENRY HoWsoN, CHAS. Howson. 

